Vacuum cleaner truck



` vACUUM CLEANER TRUCK Filed Nov. `2; 1935 MZJ AZmQUZLS" i.OScczMAndenson n t 30 c t v within the scope of the claims,

Patented Oct. l2, 1937 provide "'a` `vacuum-` cleaner supportingY truck`lvacuum `cleaner sothat it maybe easily moved c across the surfacebeing'eminentes-PA vncUUM CLEANER TRUCK@ t nppiieunlnovember 2, 1935,sei-:simmons:

V Nils" T. "l Almquistgand Oscar M. Britain, Conn.,` assignors `toAnderson, 4New 1 Landers, Frary la:

,. Compa' corporation cof,` c

" t s 3 'r claims. (o1. 280461) 'I'hisinventionrelates toftrucks and,`more part c ticularly`,' to a truck especially adapted to pivotalicleanedg `It is thel primary object oi' this invention to t (adapted toevenly; supportthe cleanerand comc forj irregularities in the `surfacebeing 1 `1o 1 cleaned.

` c s axes and to'coniorm withtuneven portions of a surface beingcleaned and yet uniner that it may be tltedto lift the nozzlelof thedesired.

t `with theeeend ether` bjeetsin vievmnepeesi ent inventlonfresld'esinjanjovel construction .and

25"` t, "scribed," illustrated `in the accompan the combination ofmembers Ulriereinafter f deding; and 1 referred te in the` vclaims.appended l hereto; it being understood thatl various changes int thegeneral form, proportion;

other minor detailsfof"construction .lying may` "bei resorted towithoutdeviating from thefspirit ofthe inven- `tion or sacricing any of itsadvantages.

To the yaccomplisl'iments of these andother objects which will beapparent fromthefollowing f description," we have provided a trucklforrotat- `ably andfplvotallysupporting'the rearward end r offracleanersmechanisin in such a manner that thecleaner may be freelymovedand easily turned x "cIn the drawingwherein `cated by likenumerals:

the further purpose the ioorto aid the cleaner in moving onto a thickrug `ori` moving onto a rughaving al` fringed edge, .1 s 1t" like`-parts are indi- `Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vlacuuni cleanerhaving "a rear pivotally mounted rotatable'support constructed inaccordance4 withour invention; t i t i i Altiglgis` a rear view ,of ourinvention; and

and 'rotatably support the `rear end` of an t `ferred `type of our`invention,

ya ,substantially horizontal :suitably shaped motor `casing I0 rigidlysecured to a l It is e further ebjeet efthisinvention tento!` s s de atruck support having a` plurality `ofA rotate` *"able wheels arrangediorindividualfmovement i *aboutvertical "formly support one end ofayacuumcleaner` s c further object of thisminvention to provide atruckarranged to fplvotally Support the` yingr drawandsizaas well u 1`projecting boss22 f use of bearing sleevell `the stud portion 32 maybejournalleddirectly Within bore 3|J'ifde`sired and accomplish `the sameward end of boss Referring to the drawingV illustrating the pre#-` fancasingi as by screws I2; lor other suitable `fastening` means.

TENTOFFIC'E Fig. 3 is elviewteken elong'the unece-a of Flea we "haveprovided The frontof-the fancasing is providedkwith a downwardlyprojecting nozzle `I4 which maybe i suitablyfsupported slightly abovethesurface to be cleaned as" by wheels 'I'he above parts are not s view ofthe fact that they do notsconstitute a 'novelpart ofthe invention.Hence, it will" be lunderstood that ourinvention,v which relates to 1" atruck for supporting "l5 journaueti thereto; described in detail in* therear portion of afl vacuum cleaner, maybe arranged to be associatedintended tobe supported by wheelsand to be s equalizer arm,"` generallyndicatedfby the numeral I8,

motor "about a substantially horizontal, axis 4and `supported at itsouter ends by `casters 2l'l"arrariged` to individually pivot aboutsubstantially vertical Y axes.` Toiaccomplish" this, therearward portionofmotor casing I0 terminates inan outwardly having a substantially ilatver-` tical face 23` and al centralthreaded` hole 2`4jar rangedtoreceiveaieduced screw threaded portion 26"ofgja-stud 28. Intermediateofthejopposed `ends of the equalizer arm and substantially `centrallythereon, We have provided anenlarged cup-` i shaped boss 29 having aboretherethrough,`

and la journal sleeve 3l secured` therein :Isar- `rangedfto receivewthe`intermediate cylindrical portion 32 of stud 28,*Whereby said equalizerarm c will be pivotally journalled for; transverse rockf ing lmovement:about the substantiallyhorizontal axis of stud 28." It will beappreciated, ofcourse, that the present invention is not limited to thein View ofthe fact `that result. c t

t As illustrated in Fig; sgthe metorengegtg the bottom of a counterbre"39 within the rear- 29 land coaxial with hole 3| withany vacuumcleanermechanism which is s rearward end of a vacuum cleaner in such a man 20 ss c 2()` 7 i i cleaner from thesurface being cleaned whenever s c andarranged to` be pivotallysecured intermediate of itsfends to the t y.nysudlnand compressed between theV head` of `,studl 28.and

therethrough. The head of said stud may be provided with a screw driverslot or other suitlable tool engaging means, and bearing portion 32preferably terminates in a shoulder 40 adapted to abut against surface28 to aid in rigidly positioning stud 28. The forward end of boss.

28 is further provided with anv outwardly pro- ,iecting annular portion42 having a lower protruding portion 43 which is provided with an openend slot 45 having a pair of opposed spaced f side faces 41 arranged toreceive a locking stud 48 therebetween which in turn is threaded Withina lower portion of boss 22.

As will be observed in Figs. 2 and 3, the stud ,41 are preferably spaceda suilicient distance apart to permit a requiredy rocking movement ofequalizer arm and allow casters 20 to easily accommodate themselves touneven portions within a surface such as a floor over which vtl'ievacuum cleaner is being moved.

1 "Iheopposedends ofthe equalizer arm termi- ".nate in enlarged,`downwardly projecting portions may be of any familiar and well-knowntype of 58 .to pivotally accommodate casters 20 which construction. Toaccomplish this. each enlarged portion 50 is provided with asubstantially vertical bore 5| having a bearing sleeve 52 securedtherein and arranged to slidably engage the cylindrical shank 54 ofcaster 28 and permit its `free pivotal movementtherein. The upper enc' y)of bore 5I has a substantially fiat circular platt 55 secured thereinand pivotally engageable with the upper rounded end 550i' shank 54. Thelower en'd of each shank 54y has a suitable bifurcated member 58integrally-secured thereto and arranged to fxedly support the opposedends 'of a pin 8l!A upon which caster ywheels 6i are journalled.

To prevent the casters 20 from falling out of "their socketed positionswithin the equalizer arm,

we mayemploy any convenient device. In the presentinstance, asillustrated, we provide the upper endof each shank 54 with an annulargroove 82 adapted toslidably receive a C-shaped springvmember 83. Whenthe shankis forced its socket as the cleaner, is moved.

into position, the spring member 83 is peripheraily compressed againstthe bore of said bearling sleeve and serves to lock the caster inposition. In view of the fact that the spring is freely slidable withinthe groove, it will not hinder any normal vertically pivotal castermovement in It is not desired that our invention necessarily l bevlimited to the particular showing of caster mounting herein illustratedsince it will be evident that any suitable `type of caster which issupported for vertical pivotal movement about features ofthe presentinvention. For example,

a vertical axis `would accomplish the essential it will be evident thatthe shank 54 may be secured in any suitable manner to an end of the qequalizer arm to provide fora vertically pivotal axial movement.

Itwill thus be apparent that our invention "provides a unique type oftruck arranged to uniformly support the rearward end ofa vacuum cleanermechanism. The transverse pivotal movement of the equalizer arm willpermit each of the truck supporting wheels to engage uneven portions ofthe surface being cleaned, and the individual vertical pivotal movementof the casters will permit the cleaner to be quickly and easily turnedto reach into corners and other normally inaccessible positions.Furthermore, the frictional contact of surfaces 28 and 34 as caused kbycoiled spring 36 will restrain the pivotal movement of the equalizer armsufiiciently so that the body portion of the cleaner mechanism includingthe nozzle, fan casing, and motor may be easily tilted about the axis ofwheels 6| so that the nozzle may be quickly and easily lifted from thefloor whenever desired.

WeA claim as our invention:

1. A truck for supporting the rearward portion of a vacuumY cleanerframe comprising a transversely disposed equalizer arm, a substantiallycup-shaped enlarged portion on said arm intermediate of its ends and'having a face' which is frictionally engageable with a boss on saidframe, a horizontally disposed pivot stud rigidly secured at one endwithin said boss and journalled at its other end within said cup-shapedportion to permit a transverse rocking movement of the equalizer arm,resilient means on the stud and engaging the arm to secure it lindesired pivotal position, a locking member in the frame arranged to lockthe pivot stud in operative position, means on the cup-shaped portionengageable with said member to limit the extent of rocking movement ofthearm, and individually pivotal means rotatably supporting each end ofsaid arm.

2. A truck for supporting an end of a vacuum cleaner frame comprising atransversely disposed equalizer arm, a horizontally disposed, rearwardlyextending pivot pin removably secured in said frame, saidv arm having abearing portion intermediate of its ends and journalled on the pin,abutting contacting faces on the frame and bearing disposed at rightangles to the axis of the pin, resilient means tending to maintain saidfaces in contact, a locking member removably secured within the frameand arranged to lock against the pivot pin, means on the arm engageablewith the locking pin to limit the extent of pivotal movement of saidarm, and a wheel pivotally supported beneath each of the opposed ends ofsaid arm.

3. A truck for supporting an end of a vacuum cleaner frame comprising atransversely disposed member, means intermediate of the ends of saidmember pivotally securing it to the frame for a rocking movement aboutan axis disposed longitudinally'of the frame, resilient meanssurrounding said axis. and frictionally restraining said rockingmovement, means limiting the extent of rocking movement, and supportingcasters respec- Ytively located Abeneath and supporting theends of thetransverse member. 1

4. A vacuum cleaner truck for supporting the end of a vacuum cleanerframe and comprising a transversely disposed arm, means intermediate ofthe ends of the arm pivotally securing it to the frame for rockingmovement .about a substantially horizontally disposed axis, resilientmeans coaxial with said axis to frictionally restrain said rockingmovement, means limiting the extent of the rocking movement, supportingcasters respectively located beneath and supporting the ends of thearms. and means pivotally connecting each caster to said member forindividually free, substantially vertical, pivotal movement.

5. A truck for supporting the rearward end of a vacuum cleaner framecomprising a transverseman.,

ly` disposed arm, pivotal means "intermediate of the ends of thearm andsecuring itto the frame for rocking movement about a substantiallyhorizontal axis disposed longitudinally of theirame,` means coaxial withsaid `axis for resiliently and frictionally restraining the rockingmovementr y means limiting the extent of said rocking movei ment, asupporting wheel beneatheach of the opposed endsof said arm, a membersupported by each of the wheels'at its lower end and Journalled at itsupper end within the arm for substantially vertical pivotal movementwhereby the truck may i'rame when it is moved` over an uneven surface. y

uniformly support the 6. A truck for supporting` an end of a vacuumcleaner `trarne' `comprising atransversely disposed equalizer arm at`the backof the frame, .a pivot `stud securing said arm` intermediate ofits ends to the frame for a rocking movement, meansengageable betweenthe frame and arm to limit the extent of said rocking movement, meansresilient- 1y engaged between ma stud and arm friccisnally restrainingthe rocking movement. and casters respectively mounted beneath the kendso! said arms and secured thereto for pivotal movement aboutsubstantially vertical axes. t

'7. A truck for supporting an end o! a-vacuum 1 cleaner frame comprising`an equalizer arm transversely disposed tothe rearward portion of theframe, apivot stud longitudinally extendingr from the rearward end `ofthe trame and pivotally mounted in said arm intermediate of its ends toprovide for rocking movement of tliearm,` a coiled spring compressivelymounted between said stud and the` armto i'rictionally restrain therocking

